Mama Mia: Mayra Veronica on How to Stand Out from a Crowd

She might think you're crazy. But she might like it.

Mayra Veronica has hit the top of the Billboard Dance charts and landed a deal with Simon Cowell’s record label Syco, which just entered a joint venture with Ultra Music to distribute her Latin-infused international hit single, “Mama Mia” in the United States and Canada.

The Cuban-American singer is hot. Literally. But before the curvy former Univision star started making waves on the music scene she did eight overseas tours with U.S. troops as a USO spokesperson. Safe to say, she’s been hit on—a lot. And after all of her travels, she endorses a simple, two-step process for standing out in a crowd of adoring men. Begin with a lively and creative approach, even if it seems ridiculous. “Try to outdo yourself,” she said. “Have roses sent to the table or the bar, and say that you’re celebrating the fact that you’ve just met.” Once you’ve surprised her, she advises you to extract yourself with the right combination of kindness and mystery. “After you make the connection, don’t cling on,” she said.

Men’s Fitness: You’ve been around the world as a USO spokesperson and performing as well. Guys must go crazy. How does a guy stand out if he wants to get a women’s attention in a crowd like that?

Mayra Veronica: I’m very particular about that because I don’t really think that has anything to do at all with looks. Granted yeah, if you have good looks people are going to look at what have you. But I really feel that people sense energy and people sense other people’s souls or they sense that there's some energy to the person. Some people call it confidence. I don’t think it is confidence. I think it’s just the human spirit.

MF: But how do we tell our guys how to stand out? We’re all on that chase on some level to find the perfect woman, too.

MV: I think it’s the same thing. Just reach out on another level. Reach out on a spiritual level or on a mental level. Not necessarily on a physical level.

MF: Does that work?

MV: That totally works. Definitely.

MF: So today if I’m just walking down the street, I can connect with a woman on a mental level?

MV: I think in general, and not just with women but with anyone, we’re all in search of that particular connection. So if you can connect with someone at that level and reach them at a higher level by passing all the superficialities then you stand a very good chance.

MF: Okay, so for the sake of me trying to weasel some tips out of you. We’re at a bar and I want you to help me pick up a woman, or a couple of women, and I want A-level, A-list women, how do I get her attention? How do I keep it?

MV: I think Step 1 would have to be even though it’s not about the physical and you don’t want to reach out to them and make it all about physical, you want to be in the best physical form possible. I just posted this on my wall. A good tailored suit on a man is like lingerie on a woman. I would be out there wearing a nice suit. Be all suited up looking sharp.

Step 2 is coming with depth—a good topic of conversation. Usually metaphysics or spiritual laws and all that kind of good stuff usually gets a woman interested.

MF: Give me an example, what do you mean?

MV: I mean just talking about the law of attraction and positivity. Just stuff that’s going to make them connect to you on a mental level. Then you can use that good ol’ “This was definitely meant to be.” There’s definitely some, you know, big attraction, universal destiny law here. That works. There’s a reason for our meeting. Everything happens for a reason.

MF: She’s not going to think I’m crazy?

MV: She might. But she might like it, too.

MF: Okay so what’s Step 3?

MV: Pay for everything. Even if you never see her again, if you’re really that interested make sure you outdo yourself. Do something. Get her something with a candle on it and say that you’re celebrating the fact that we met. Or have roses sent to the table or the bar. After you do that, it’s not like you do that and then cling on. You do that and then you just say it was nice to meet you and walk away and leave it like that. It’s not like you should plan on wanting to go home with her after that.